Keywords:  Western medicine; Eastern medicine; traditional Chinese medicine; paradigm; energy; redox modulation

“Connecting West and East”

Despite their similarities, Western medicine and Eastern medicine are very different because they are built on different fundamentals. The general idea has arisen that we will benefit by connecting Western and Eastern medicine. First, both the merits as well as the limitations of both types of medicine are discussed. It was concluded that to create a bridge, we should focus on similarities that inspire the further unravelling of the molecular mechanism of the mode of action and toxicity of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is found that the energy perspective provides a basis to integrate Eastern and Western medicine. Moreover, it is underlined that Traditional Chinese Medicine should be used properly as developed over centuries in China.The bottom line is that Western scientists should be more open minded to the concepts of Eastern medicine and accept that the West can learn from the East.